New Hampshire may be known as the Granite State, but what most people don’t know is about those off the beaten path stops and destinations the state has to offer. Keep reading to learn about the longest candy counter ever, a haunted farmhouse turned restaurant and many more!
Have you been to any of these? Let us know in the comments!
Purgatory Falls- Lyndeborough
Though it may not be the most impressive waterfall out there, if the legend is true, this is the place that Satan used as his kitchen. As the story goes, the Devil himself once invited a group of churchmen over for a bean feast at the falls. While preparing this feast in a massive pot heated directly by the flames of Hell, the area drew too much heat and eventually melted the rocks around his foot which got him stuck. There’s even evidence of the meal that still remains! Along the upper falls there is a huge hole in the rock, now called “The Devil’s Bean Pot” and close by is another impression in the stone called “The Devil’s Footprint.”
This area used to be a hot tourist spot from the 1890s till the Great Depression. What’s left from the hotels and visiting areas can be viewed from the upper and lowers falls.
Wentworth by the Sea- New Castle
Film junkies rejoice! The movie In Dreams takes place in Massachusetts and was filmed there as well, but one of the biggest plot-turning scenes takes places in this 140-year-old hotel, the Wentworth by the Sea. It’s called the Carlton Hotel in the movie, and the main character has a knack for wandering around its old and deteriorating grounds to find something she never wanted to see. I won’t spill the beans here, you’ll have to watch the movie to find out what happened!
In reality, the hotel was built in 1874 on the island of New Castle, New Hampshire. What’s neat about the movie and hotel is that they didn’t have to change anything about the aesthetic of the building. It was already abandoned and decrepit. Since the filming of the movie, though, it has been completely redone and reopened as the flashy resort hotel it used to be.
Maybe what’s even more astonishing about the hotel is its role in U.S. history. Russian and Japanese delegates once gathered here to discuss ending the Russo-Japanese war. They all agreed on terms and along with ending the fight, this act earned U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt the Nobel Peace Prize for taking part in coming up with the event.
Country Tavern Restaurant- Nashua
Seeing as Halloween is right around the corner, this alleged haunted restaurant is the perfect destination to get you and tour family in the…spirit… for the spooky holiday! The Country Tavern Restaurant and Lounge is a gourmet eatery in Nashua. Its uniqueness derives from the fact that in 1741 it was a simple farmhouse, which gives it its historical atmosphere today.
To brush up on the restaurant’s history, just read the back of the menu which gives the visitor all the details about the supposed ghost that lives in the building. Her name, according to the menu, is Elizabeth Ford, and she was a tenant of the building when it was a place to live. As the story goes, she was murdered by her husband and thrown down a well. The story on the menu also describes some of the ghostly instances that occurred in the restaurant, like invisible presences and glassware flying through the air. If this doesn’t hype you up for Halloween we don’t know what will!
Redstone Rocket- Warren
This missile is straight from the Cold War and may be the only one put in a public park for all to see. The rocket was put in place in 1971 and was donated to the town after the whole line of rockets were retired because of newer technology. It was developed by Werner von Braun, the Redstone missile was known as the “Army’s Workhorse,” because it was useful for military applications and even ballistic uses, too. This model has the glory of carrying the first live nuclear warhead during two tests over the Pacific Ocean. It was also used as the booster that put the first American, Alan Shepard, in space. Shepard was born in Derry, New Hampshire, so the rocket is now perfectly installed in Warren to honor his memory.
Thompson Falls- Jackson
Waterfalls are cool and all, but have you ever seen a waterfall-tiered cascading body of water?! (Us either but this destination is at the TOP of our list!) Secluded close to the bottom of the Wildcat Mountain Ski Area, Thompson Falls fell out of the public eye for most of the 20th century.
Until 2011, right when Thompson Falls became one of the official trails of the White Mountain National Forest, the area was basically a mystery. It was mentioned to the public once during an AMC White Mountain Guide in the 1950s, the falls essentially unheard of. Today, though, hikers and visitors can reach the waterfalls by hiking a pretty simple one-mile hike. With the water falling over 20 feet, the destination offers some pretty amazing natural beauty. And since Thompson Falls has only recently been popular, most people still don’t know about it, which means it won’t be as crowded as other more popular waterfalls. The lowest tier, best described as a “clam-shaped” fall, has a large pool deep enough for some natural swimming while the nearby rockers give explorers a chance to see what the White Mountain National Forest has to offer!
Chutters Candy Store- Littleton
Lovers of sweets be warned: You may never leave this place! Perfectly located in the middle of Main Street in downtown Littleton, Chutters Candy Store is home to the world’s longest candy counter. Its history goes back over a hundred years to a dry goods merchant who was a minister at first, but gave in to his sweet tooth once and for all. His name was Frederick George Chutter. He was an Englishman who went over to New Hampshire in the 1880s to preach. Along the way, though, he noticed something that would forever change his life: the local kids were desperate for cheap candy. And in 1905, he had returned from a trip abroad with “…severe head trouble…” and was advised to leave the ministry for a while. He never went back as a minster and decided to sell dry goods ever since!
Today, the candy store impressively has its 112-foot long candy counter. Don’t believe? Just check out their certificate from the people at the Guinness Book of World Records!
U.S.S. Albacore- Portsmouth
Another war memorial, the U.S.S. Albacore was at one time the zippiest submarine in the sea and probably held a ton of Cold War secrets. It was mostly a sub for research during the war race for the perfect underwater battle vessel. So how fast could she go? The Navy still isn’t telling anyone, but its blimp-looking shape was so stealthy and sleek it could work at the same all-out speed as its predecessor, just with half the horsepower. And while some of its operations and doings were announced, most of what it could do was kept classified. She was decommissioned after 20 years because of diesel engine failures.
Now, it’s parked on solid ground in Albacore Park, Portsmouth, New Hampshire since 1985, but hasn’t been in use since 1972. The 300 ton vessel was being transported to its destined location display when it got stuck in the mud of Portsmouth Harbor. Without a way to move it further, the Albacore remained there and the park was brought to her.
